Method of and machine for doweling



(No Model.) 3 shets -sheet 1. -H. CAMPBELL.

[METHOD OF AND MAGHINBFOR IJUWELING.v No. 502,656.

Patented Aug.-1 '1893.

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H. CAMPBELL. IMIETHOD OF AND MAUHINE'FOB. DOWELING.

Patented Aug. 1, 1893.

3 sheets- -sheet A2.

I El -.12,

(N0 Mode 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR DOWELING Patented'Aug. 1, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CAMPBELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR DOWELING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,656, dated August 1, 1893. Application filed March 24, 1892. Serial No. 426,296. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain newand usefullmprovementsin Methods of and Machines for Doweling; and I do declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en: able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use thesame,reference being had to the-accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

It is the object of my inventionto provide a labor-saving method and machine whereby the operation of cutting and inserting dowels in two pieces of wood or other material to be joined may be performed.

In the following specification I have described and shown my invention as especially adapted to the doweling of heads for barrels, kegs, casks and similar vessels, but it will be understood that the invention may be availed of for many other purposes.

With such object in View my invention consists in the method of procedure, and in the parts and combinations thereof, hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed;

and in order to make the same more clearly understood I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying my improvements into practical effect, without, however, intending to limit their application to the particular construction which, for the sake of illustration, I have delineated.

In said drawingsz-Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a doweling machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on line OD Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section taken between the two parts of the movable die. Fig. 5 is a side view of the corresponding stationary die, having its side portions removed. Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the movable die. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the stationary die having its side portions indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 8 is an end view of the movable die. Fig. 9 is an end view of the stationary die. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the movable die cutters. Fig. 11 is a similar view of one of the stationary die cutters. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, of the doweling head. Referring to the drawings 1 indicates a frame adapted to rest firmly or to be secured upon the floor or other suitable foundation, and provided at its sides with vertical guides 2 of any suitable character. 3 isa vertically movable frame fitting said guides and carrying upon a transverse pivot 4 an oscillatory support or holder 5. I At 6 are shown vertical guides rods or supports in proximity to which the holder 5 re ciprocates and which serve to maintain in proper alignment with the dowel holding devices hereinafter described the pieces of wood or other substance which are to be doweled together to form a barrel head or other article. The rods 6 are carried by a transverse bar or plate 7 attached to the frame 1. Sindicates spring arms orfingers attached to the holder 5 and adapted to co-operate with the rods 6 in supporting the parts to be doweled. If the top surface of the piece into which the dowels are to be inserted, or which is to be forced by the movement of the frame 3 against the plate 7 (or against the dies carried thereby) for the, purpose of causing dowelsrpreviously inserted in a lower piece to enter the under side of the first-mentioned piece, is not exactly parallel with the top face of the holder 5 or with the top of the lowermost piece containing the dowels, the oscillation of the holder 5 will take place upon its pivot 4. to whatever extent is necessary to bring the top face of the uppermost piece into parallelism with the bottom of the plate 7. I thus insure that there shall be a tight joint between all of the pieces joined together, provided only their'abutting faces are plane surfaces. I thus overcome the difficulty which would otherwise result from the want of parallelism which often occurs between the opposite edges of the pieces from which barrel heads are formed, which divergence is not material when the pieces are doweled together by hand but which would prevent the performance of tight and perfect work in a machine having rigid plates for forcing the pieces together.

The relative movement of the work-holding and dowel-holding devices, whereby the insertion of the dowel is caused, may be effected by various mechanisms. I prefer, however,

to employ a rack 9 attached to the frame 3 and engaged by the geared pinion 10 mounted on the frame 1 by a shaft ll provided with a hand and fly wheel 12.

I will now set forth in detail my preferred means for preparing the dowels for insertion in the pieces which they are to join and for holding them while they are in the act of be- :ing inserted. These devices are mounted upon the plate 7hereinbefore referred to and may be of any desired number, the machine illustrated containing two sets of such devices. As these sets are similar the description of one will suffice for both.

13 is a box-shaped holder secured firmly to the plate 7,' the latter, as also the said box, being provided with an aperture in its bottom of suflicient length and size to receive the upper edge of the piece to be doweled.

14 is the stationary cutting die fitting within the box 13 and secured by vertical bolts 15. The die 14 is formed with a vertical socket in which are inserted upper and lower cutters 16, having a through aperture 17 for the wire from which the dowels are formed, and beveled faces 18. The die 14 is made in two parts, an upper and a lower, which are formed with correspondingly beveled faces 19 thus forming recesses into which the movable die enters horizontally to shear the wire.

The movable die is shown at 20 and is made in two parts separable upon a vertical plane, each provided with a horizontal socket in which fits a cutter 21. Each part of the die 20 is formed with beveled faces 22 corresponding with the faces 18 and adapted to move or slide in contact with the same as the act of cutting is performed. The cutters 21 are flattened on their front faces at 23, forming cutting edges 24 at the angles whereon the faces 22 and 23 meet. To sharpen the dies it is simply necessary to slightly grind the faces 23. It will thus be seen that the movement of the die 20 toward and past the die 14 will cut a wire situated in the aperture 17, removing from the wire two small segments and leaving upon the two severed pieces of the wire chisel-shaped edges extending in a direction crosswise of the machine and consequently crosswise of the grain of the pieces which are to be doweled together.

The movement of the die 20 is effected by the following mechanism: 25 indicates slots formed in the stationary die, or in some part connected therewith, with which engage projections or pins carried by the die 20 for the purpose of keeping, the latter accurately in line with the stationary die during its reciprocation. Such projections or pins may be furnished by the outer projecting ends of the cutters 21. At 125 are shown a pair of links pivoted at 26 to the stationary die and hav-; ing at their forward ends a transverse rockshaft 27 carrying a cam 28 adapted to engage the outer end 29, preferably of a beveled or rounded form, of the movable die 20. As the links 125 are depressed the cam 28 engages with its small radius the end 29, and the farther downward movement of said links causes the cam to turn bringing its greater radii gradually to bear upon the end of the die. The movable die is thus forced inward with great power to shear the wire. At 30 are shown springs situated between the stationary and movable dies and adapted to normally keep them separated, with the links 125 in their elevated position. All of the sets of movable dies are preferably operated simultaneously from one hand lever, and to this end the links 125 of each set are connected by a transverse rod or shaft having a hand lever 32. I further provide a gripper by which the wire is held from longitudinal movement while its lower ends are being forced into the pieces to be doweled, and while the cutting of the wire already described is being performed.

33 indicates a stationary gripping jaw firmly secured to but removable from a holder 34. Opposite to said jaw said holder has formed in its inner faces grooves 36, Fig. 1. In the latter fit ribs formed upon the sides of the movable gripper 38, the gripping jaw piece of which is shown at 39 and which also is removable. By removing these jaw pieces and substituting others of different thickness various diameters of wire may be accurately gripped with the proper degree of force.

40 indicates links pivoted at 41 to theholder 34 and having a cross-piece 42 furnished with a socket 43. 44 is a lever fitting at its outer end in said socket and engaging by its inner end a similar socket 45 formed in the movable gripper 38. Springs 8 (Fig. 12) of usual character are interposed between the parts 34 and 38 and which serve to keep the gripping jaws normally separated, leaving the wire free to be fed to the cutters. By depressing the cross-piece 42, the lever 44 will be caused to force the gripper 3S inward with great power to securely hold the wire. The levers of each set of grippers are connected to a transverse rod or bar 35 which in turn is provided with a hand lever 48. The gripping devices are mounted above the cutting dies and are preferably situated within the same box frame 13, which is made sufficiently high for the purpose.

I further provide suitable means for feeding the wire to the gripping and cutting devices, said means consisting preferably of a vertical guide mounted upon the box 13, or other support, upon which is mounted and adapted to be reciprocated vertically a gripping jaw 51, and an opposing jaw 52. The latter is provided with recesses in which fit horizontal pins 53 carried by the jaw 51 and adapted to hold the jaws in proper vertical relation one to the other while permitting a slight horizontal movement'of the jaw 52 toward and from the other. Springs 54 interposed between the jaws tend to keep them slightly separated.

is a hand lever pivoted at 56 upon a fixed support and provided with substantially horizontal slots 57 which are engaged by the ends of a transverse pin 58 passing through the sliding jaw 51. A vertical oscillation of the lever 55 will consequently reciprocate the jaw 51, carrying with it the jaw 52, upon the guide 50. Between said jaws passes the wire from which the dowels'are to be formed and which is furnished from a reel or any desired source of supply.

59 is a cam pivoted at 60 in or upon the lever 55 and engaging the outer face of the jaw 52. A weight 61 formed with or attachedto the said cam maintains the cam snrfacein contact with said jaw, the point of contact being slightly below the pivot 60. The downward movement of the lever 55 already referred to causes the cam surface to bite the jaw 52, pressing the latter tightly against the Wire and confining the same against the jaw 51. The further movement of the lever 55 will cause the Wire to be carried downward for a predetermined distance, which will be the length of the dowels which are to be formed. The reverse or upward movement of the lever 55 immediately frees the jaw 52 from the pressure of cam 59 and both of the jaws will slide vertically upon the wire without raising. it. In order that the wire may be fed in both or all of the sets of doweling devices by a single movement of the hand I connect the several levers 55 in said sets by a transverse rod 62 having a hand lever 63, and adjusting nuts.

The apparatus being constructed and organized as hereinbefore described, or in an equivalent manner, its operation is as follows:The holder 5 being in its lowermost position, the operator by means of the handlever 63 feeds the wire down through the gripping and cutting devices and by means of the lever 32 the cutters are operated and chisel-shaped edges produced upon the lower ends of the wires as already described. The wires are then fed by another movement of the lever 63 for a distance equal to the length of the dowels to be produced whereupon by depressing the gripper lever 48the wires will be firmly secured. Their lower ends will then project below the lowermost cutter 16 for a distance equal to half the length of the dowel, which will be the distance the dowel is to be inserted in one of the pieces to be joined together. One of said pieces to be joined, for instance, a piece of a barrel head, is then placed upon the holder 5 between the bars 6 and the fingers 8, as indicated at 64. The operator then turns the hand-wheel 12, forcing the piece 64 against the bottoms of the cutting dies and causing the dowels to enter for half their length into its upper surface or edge. The cutter lever 32 is then again operated severing the dowels from the continuous portions of the wires and leaving upon both the dowels and the wires chisel-shaped leased, the wire fed downward, grips cutting edges, as already described. By means of the wheel 12 the holder 5 carrying the piece 64 with dowels 65 inserted therein is then lowered a short distance. Opportunity is now given to flag the head, the flag being pressed down by the operator over the upwardly projecting ends of the dowels. The holder 5 is then, by the wheel 12, depressed to its lowermost position and the next piece of the head, shown at 66, is placed in position resting against the bars 6 and upon the points of the dowels 65.v The grips are then reagain caused to engage it, and the holder 5 8o forced upward as before. At this operation the piece 66 is forced downwardupon the dowel 65 and tightly, against the piece 64 and at. the same time receives in its upper edge the dowels 67. The latter are then severed from the wire by the operation of the cutting dies, the holder 5 lowered, and the upper edge of the piece-66 flagged, as before described. This proced nre is repeated until a sufficient number of pieces have been joined together for the purpose in view. In the illustration I have shown the head as being composed of he pieces 64 and 66, already mentioned and of the third piece 68. AS no dowels are inserted into the upper edge of this piece, it is forced upon the dowels 67 and against the piec 66, by the upward movement of holder 5, as already described, but without preliminarily feeding the wires downward. During the vertical movement of the holder 5 the pieces operated upon may be steadied against the bars 6 by a slight pressure of the operator s hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- I 1. The herein described method of doweling which consists in firstcausing the endof a continuous dowel strip, rod or wire to be inserted in one of the pieces to be joined, then severing the wire at a distance from said piece, and then forcing said piece, and the other piece to be joined, together, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described method of doweling which consists in first causing the endof a continuous dowel strip, rod or wire to be inserted in one of the pieces to be joined, then severing the wire at a distance from said piece and forming cutting edges on the wire at each side of the point of severance, and then forcing said piece, and the other piece to be joined, together, substantially as set forth.

3. In a doweling machine, the combination of a holder or rest for the work, means for holding the pieces to be joined in line with each other devices for cutting and holding the dowels, and mechanism for causing said holder and devices to approach each other to insert the dowels, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a doweling machine, the combination with the dowel cutting and holding devices and means for holding the pieces to be joined in line with each other, of a freely oscillatory work holder mounted upon a pivot or hinge, substantially as set forth.

5. In a doweling machine, the combination of a work holder, means for holding the pieces to be joined in line with each other, cutters for forming the dowels, and feeding and gripping devices for supplying the material for the dowels from a continuous wire or rod, substantially as set forth.

6. In a doweling machine, the combination with means for holding or supporting the work, of doweling cutters having four co-opit crating cutting edges operating to sever the dowels and form on each of the same at the point of severance a central chisel edge, and mechanism for causing said dowels and the work to be forced together, substantially as guide 6 along which the pieces to be joined together are adapted to slide, substantially as Set forth.

9. In a doweling machine the combination with the dowel holding devices, of a frame movable toward and from said devices, the pivot 4 carried by said frame, a work holder mounted on said pivot, springs for maintaining said holder in a normal or average position but adapted to yield to enable the work to be presented properly to the dowels, and mechanism for moving said frame, and guides for the pieces of work to be joined, substantially as set forth.

10. In a doweling machine the combination of a work holder movable as described, guides 6 arranged parallel to its line of movement, and adapted to maintain in line with each other the pieces to be joined, holding devices for the dowels, and cutters movable transversely to said work holder and adapted to produce chisel edges upon the dowels extending crosswise to the grain of the pieces to be joined, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signaturcin presence of two witnesses.

HENRY CAMPBELL.

\Vitnesses:

H. N. Low, J. S. BARKER. 

